The Merchant's Tale
Folio 157v
4 of 29 folios
To strype me and putte me in a sakk
And in þe nexte ryuer do me drenche
I am a gentil wōman and no wenche
Why speke ȝe þus but men ben euer vntrewe
960
And wōmen han reproef of ȝou ay newe
Ȝe can non oþer contynaunce I leeue
But speke to vs as vntriste and in repreue
And wiþ þat word sche saugh wher damyan
Sat in þe bussħ and knelen he bigan
965
And wiþ hire fynger signes made sche
Þat Damyan schulde clymbe vpon a tree
Þat charged was wiþ fruyt and vp he wente
For verrayly he knew al hire entente
And euery signe þat sche couþe make
970
Wel bet þan Ianuarye hir owne make
For in a ƚre sche hadde told him al
Of þis matiere how he worche schal
And þus I lete him sitte in þe Pyry
And Ianuarye and mayus rownynge myry
975
¶ Bright was þe day and blew þe firmament
Phebus of gold doun haþ his stremes sent
To gladen euery flour wiþ his warmnesse
He was þat tyme in Gemynys as I gesse
But litel fro his declynacioū
980
Of Cancer Iouys exaltacioū
And so bifeƚƚ þat in a bright morwetyde
Þat in þe gardyn on þat ferþer syde /
Pluto þat is þe king of fayerye
And many a lady in his companye
985
Folwyng his wyf þe queene proserpyna
Which þat he rauyssched out of íserpyna
Whiles þat sche gaderede floures in a mede
In Claudian ȝe may þe storyes rede
How in his grysly carte he hire fette
990
This kyng of fayerie a doun him sette
Vpon a benche of tornys freisscħ and grene